The 2025 CFL season now enters what I call the heart of the schedule, that middle seven weeks before things get serious. This part of the season begins with Week 8 and tails off with their annual Labour Day Weekend matchups, and after Week 14, that’s when things get very interesting. Week 8 started off in Calgary, as the Stampeders hosted the Montréal Alouettes in a battle of teams on strong starts. The Stamps entered the fourth with a lead, but the Als took it, 23-21, as they attempt to keep pace with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Division.
Next up was a Western battle between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Edmonton Elks, and it was an opportunity for the Riders to capitalize on the Stamps’ loss a day prior. Riders dominated, but the Elks did make it a close one in the fourth quarter. The result: a 21-18 win for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and they are on such a hot start. Could they actually have a shot at winning the Grey Cup for the first time since 2013? Time will tell, but yeah, they really look good.
The Saturday game saw the Toronto Argonauts host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and even with the horrible start we’ve been on, I had a good feeling about this one. It wasn’t just because we were at home. It wasn’t just because the game was on CBS Sports Network. No, my optimism was because of one factor: we were facing the Blue Bombers. The Argos have had the Bombers’ number in recent years. In fact, not only was this a rematch of last year’s Grey Cup, but we defeated the Bombers twice in the big game in the last three years. This game was no different; the Boatmen dominated the Bombers, winning 31-17 behind a 16-point second quarter. It’s a win we needed for sure, and it shows that no matter what the circumstances are, we still own the Bombers.
Finally, a Sunday night battle between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the BC Lions was quite high-scoring. A back and forth battle that actually ended with the TiCats surviving and winning 37-33 in Vancouver. The Tiger-Cats are on a roll for sure. How hot are the TiCats, you ask? Take a look at the standings after eight weeks:
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Montréal Alouettes are still neck-and-neck, back and forth in the Eastern Division. Both teams with 5-2 records, and Hamilton (winners of five straight) holds the current head-to-head edge over the Als, and is undefeated in division play. In the West, it’s the Saskatchewan Roughriders leading the way at 6-1, while the Calgary Stampeders drop to 5-2, but remain in a good spot in the division. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers drop to 3-3 but remain in that top 3 in the West. The BC Lions dropped to 3-5 and still have the crossover position by half a game over the Toronto Argonauts. As for the Elks, well, as I said before, the Oilers start in just over two months.
Week 9 starts on Thursday, July 31 with the Ottawa Redblacks returning from their break to host the Calgary Stampeders, and on the following day, Friday, August 1, the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers face off once again. On Saturday, August 2, it’s a doubleheader; first, the Edmonton Elks hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, followed by the Montréal Alouettes hosting the Sasketchewan Roughriders.
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